Metal-precipitating device.



P. A. Ross.. METAL PREGIPITATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1913.

1,101,569. Patented June 30,1914

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E'. A. ROSS.

METAL PREGIPITATING. DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 191s.

Patented June 30, 1914.

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UNIT@ SAFAS PATENT FFI@ FRANK A. ROSS, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO CI-IALMERS ANI) WILLIAMS, INC., 0F CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, A CORIJOB-ATION OF ILLINOIS.

METAL-PRECIPITATING- DEVICE.

Application led September 4, 1913.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANK A. Ross, a cit-izen of the United States, and a resident of Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of lWashington, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Metal-I recipitating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for precipitating metals from their' solutions, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device by which a continuous process of precipitation may be carried on.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device in which the metal precipitant is broken up into small parts and in which these parts are constantly agitated so as to cause the engagement of one particle by another, thereby keeping the surface of the metal bright and clean, thus expediting the process.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described having means for causing the impregnated -solution or electrolyte to be forced through the nely divided metal in its passagey through the device.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and the novel features of the device will 'be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this application in which- Figure l is a vertical section through the device, Fig. la is a section through one off the revolving cylinders showing a modified form of the latter, and Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out my invention I provide a tank 1 which is preferably divided into compartments such as those shown at A, B, C, D and E by vertical partitions 3. Each compartment is further divided by a vertical partition 1l, which extends downwardly from the top of the device. As will be seen from Fig. 1 this provides inlet portions c, b, c, Z ande, leading into the compartments A, B, C, D and E. In each of the larger compartments is disposed a cylinder, and since these Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1914.

Serial No. 788,691.

cylinders and the means of mounting them are the same for each compartment, I will describe only the cylinder at the left hand of Fig. 2 in the compartment A. The cylinder consists of a. cylindrical perforated casing 6 having cylinder heads 6a at its ends. To those heads are secured spiders 7, the latter being mounted on a central hollow shaft 8 which is provided with openings 8a. The hollow shaft is mounted at one end in the framer to the tank 1 and at the other end passes through a stuffing box 9 which also serves as a bearing. vWithin the hollow shaft 8 is a cylindrical screen 10. As will be seen from Fig. 2 the end of the pipe or hollow shaft 8 extends into a compartment A.

Disposed in the compartment A in close proximity to the cylinder 6 are the cathodes 11. The cylinder 6 is provided with a cylindrical portion 12 over which a belt 13 is arranged to travel. As will be seen from Fig. 1 this belt passes over an idler 14 thence over the pulley portion 15 of the drive wheel 16, thence around the idler 111e, cylinder 6 in the compartment E, and around the other idlers and cylinders in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that the cylinders in the compartments B, C, D and E and the other portions of the apparatus which cooperate with them are of similar construction to that described in connection with the compartment A. Each succeeding cylinder, as will be seen, is disposed on a lower level.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood.

The inlet pipe 17 through which the impregnated liquid or solution is introduced terminates in the small compartment a. rlfhe solution flows downwardly into the compartment A, thence through the perforated cylinder 6, through the metal 18 which may be granulated aluminum, zinc, or other suitable material, thence through the openings 8u into the interior of the pipe or hollow shaft 8, through the cylindrical screen 10 vand into the compartment A. Here it overflows into the inlet passage Z9 of the next compartment B, thence into the main compartment B and through its cylinder and the metal contained therein into the compartment B and so on, finally emerging from the discharge chute 19." During the passage of the liquid the cylinders are revolved by means of the power Wheel 16 or any other gearing in the manner described, and this causes an agitation of the metallic particles. The particles rub against one another, thereby keeping their surfaces bright and clean and permitting the fluid to have free access to all parts thereof.

In connection with the cylinders which contain the granulated or finely divided metal precipitant I may make use of electrolysis for the purpose of hastening the precipitation. To this end the cathodes 11 are arranged in close proximity to the revolving cylinders and are suitably connected up with the source of current.

In Fig. 1a I have shown a modified form of the device in which the cylinder 6 is provided with brushes 2O on its periphery, the latter being arranged to engage the cathode plates 11 so as to free the latter of precipitate or other accretions. A bar 21 may be disposed on the interior of the inner cylindrical screen 10, which during the rotation of the latter will aid in removing any matter which may have accumulated in the perforations in the screen.

The sludge of precipitated metals and other substances as may remain in the different compartments may be withdrawn from the bottom by any suitable devices and filtered through a suitable filter.

It is obvious, of course, that a greater or less number of compartments may be used than those shown, the idea being to supply a sufficient number' of compartments for completely demetallizing the solution.

Heretofore the use of a metallic precipitant such as aluminum in the form of dust, shavings, granules, plates, etc., has been attended with failure to a greater or lesser degree, because of certain mechanical, electrical and chemical difficulties, such as a flotaj tion of the dust and shaving particles, polarization accumulating coatings of deposited chemical compounds and other deterrent reactions. In my device the metallic precipitant is kept constantly in motion, so that by a gentle attrition of theirl surfaces the individual particles thereof are kept bright and clean and free from all films or accretions whatever. Moreover, the precipitant is prevented from packing and thus obstructing the free flow of the solution. Furthermore the rolling of particle upon particle results in a certain segregation of the coarser particles from the finer and a continnous immersion of the latter by the revolving screen as soon as they develop a tendency to float, thereby securing a full precipitating effect of the metallic precipitant.

The use of an auxiliary elect-ric current in the process of precipitation is of distinct benefit in many instances and the manner of so doing as employed in my device operates to remove several disturbing conditions found in quiescent electrical precipitation.

I claim 1. In a device for precipitating metals from their solutions7 a tank for holding the solution, a perforated cylinder disposed within the tank, a metal precipitant disposed within said perforated cylinder, said metal precipitant being in a divided state, the particles of metal being free to move in the cylinder, means for revolving the cylinder during the process of precipitation and means for withdrawing the solution from the center of the cylinder.

2. In a device for precipitating metals from their solutions, a tank for containing the solution, a perforated cylinder disposed in the solution, a metallic precipitant in a divided state partially filling said cylinder, means for revolving the cylinder, and means for causing a flow of the entire solution through the cylinder and the metallic pre` cipitant.

3. In a device for precipitating metals from their solutions, a tank for containing the solution, a perforated cylinder disposed within the tank in the solution, a metallic precipitant loosely disposed within the cylinder, an inlet into the tank below the bottom of the cylinder, and meansvfor withdrawing the solution from the center of the cylinder.

4. In a device for precipitating metals from their solutions, a tank for holding the solution, a hollow perforated shaft, a perforated cylinder mounted on said shaft, a metal precipitant within said cylinder, said metal precipitant being in a divided state and partially filling the cylinder, and means for causing a flow of the solution through the perforated cylinder, through the metal precipitant and out through the central shaft.

5. In a device for precipitating metals from their solutions, a tank for holding the solution, a hollow perforated shaft, a perforated cylinder mounted on said shaft, a metal precipitant within said cylinder, said metal precipitant being in a divided state and partially filling the cylinder, means for causing a flow of the solution through the l perforated cylinder, through the metal precipitant and out through the central shaft, and means for revolving the cylinder during the passage of the fluid therethrough.

6. In a device for precipitating metals from their solutions, a tank divided into a plurality of compartments, an inlet intol end of the shaft communicating with one of said outlets, a metallic precipitant disposed in each cylinder, said metallic recipitant being in a divided state and partially filling the cylinder, and means for passing the solution through the compartments successively.

7. In a device for precipitating metals from their solutions, a tank divided into a plurality of compartments, an inlet into each compartment and an outlet from certain of said compartments communicating with the inlet of the adjacent compartment, a perforated cylinder disposed in each of said compartments, a hollow7 shaft for said cylinder, said shaft being perforated, one end of the shaft communicating with one of said outlets, a metallic precipitant disposed in each cylinder, said metallic precipitant being in a divided state and partially filling the cylinder, means for passing the solution through the compartments successively, and means for rotating the cylinders in each compartment.

8. In a device for precipitating metals from their solutions, a tank divided into a plurality of compartments, an inlet into each compartment and an outlet from certain of said compartments communicating with the inlet of the adjacent compartment, a perforated cylinder disposed in each of said compartments, a hollow shaft for said cylinder, said shaft being perforated, one end of the shaft communicating with one of said outlets, a metallic precipitant disposed in each cylinder, said metallic precipitant being in a divided state and partially lling the cylinder7 means for passing the solution through the compartments successively, means for rotating the cylinders in each compartment, and cathodes disposed within each compartment in close proximity to the revolving cylinders.

9. In a device for precipitating metals from their solutions, a tank divided into a plurality of compartments, an inlet into each compartment and an outlet from certain of said compartments communicating with the inlet of the adjacent compartment, a perforated cylinder disposed in each of said compartments, a hollow shaft for said cylinder, said shaft being perforated, one end of the shaft communicating with one of said outlets, a metallic precipitant disposed in each cylinder, said metallic recipitant being in a divided state and partially filling the cylinder, means for passing the solution through the compartments successively, means for rotating the cylinders in each compartment, cathodes disposed within each compartment in close proximity to the revolving cylinders, and means carried by the revolving cylinders for keeping the cathodes free from accumulations.

FRANK A.. ROSS.

Witnesses:

F. J. CRosE, E. D. REITER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

